Oklahoma Today September-October 1988 Volume 38 No. 5
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OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA Volume 38, No. 5 COVERS FLYING HIGH 18 PUTTING ON THE DOG 40 A daring breed of Oklahoma aviators Fmrn glossy pompadoured poodles to flew from the oil fields into the record bumptious boxers, dog show books. competitors inhabit a world unto WlLEY POST Brilliant pilot. American hem. Melancholy loner. Wiley Post may be one of Oklahoma's best-known and least understood sons. PORTFOLIO 32 The bittersweet end of summer and Joan Stainer of Tulsa and a season of renewal. champion Suellen, one of the nation's top English Setters. Photograph by Ih- vid Koelsch. Inside front. Sydnie Brown is showered with cotton- wood leaves in Boiling Springs State Park. Pho- tograph by her dad, Larry D. Brown. Rack. Bril- liant fall foliage near Spa- vinaw. Photograph by Howard Robsofie PictureLVorks. DEPARTMENTS FEATURES Today in Oklahoma ................................. 4 THE TRAIL Letters.......................................................5 The 225-mile-long Ouachita Trail, Uncommon Common Folk......................6 which begins in southeastern Oklahoma, THE FIRST UDY'S BAZAAR 38 Fd:YcSehee Catfish Restaurant....... 8 leads hikers through a forest A homesteader's farmhouse shelters a Oklahoma Omnibus: Angk Debo.........I6 drenched in beauty and tradition. harvest of arts and crafts. Entertainment Cakndar.........................45 PUBLISHED BY THE OKLAHOMA TOURISM AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT Sue Carter. Editor-in-Chief Tourism and Recreation Commission Okldoma TODAY (ISSN 0030-1892) is published bi- Si~sanBunney Tomlinson. Managing Editor Hugh Jones, (,%airman monthly in January, March, May. July. September and HillIStroud Design. Art Direction & Production Martin D. Garher. Vice Ouinnan November. Subscription prices: $12/yr. in l..S.; $Ib/yr. Thom Hunter. Marketing Larry Lindley, Serretuv outside. Barbara Palmer, Assistant Editor Eddie Fisher U.S.0 copyright 1988 by Okluhomu 7nDAYmagzine. hlelanie \fayberry. Subscription Services Susan Neal 401 Will Rogers Bldg., P.O. Box 53384, Oklahoma City, Lisa Breckenridge. Events Calendar R.L. Rollins OK 73152. (405) 521-2496. George Walters Reproduction in whole or in part without permission 1,t. GOV.Robert S. Kerr 111. E.YOJYirio is prohibited. The magazine is not responsible for unsolicited material for editorial consideration. Glenn Sullivan, Executive Dir~ctur Printed at PennWell Printing, Tulsa. Michael L. 5loccia. Drpue Direrror Tom Creider, Pads -W Second-class postage paid at Oklahoma City. OR and Eugene Dilbeck. .NarRen'ng Setvices -- % additional entry offices. Postmaster: Send address d -- changes to Okluhoma TODAY Circulation. P.O. Box Kris Xiarek. Pfannin~ D~~efopment Tom Rich. Lodges 53384. Oklahoma City, OK 73152. - September-October 1988 3 - A -- -- - -----. s you surely know by now, Okla- Barbara Palmer writes about some of and why aviation is such an important Ahoma is throwing a giant party all the early-day itinerant barnstormers, state industry. year long during 1989. Festivals will be plucky predecessors for today's space Jean Devlin writes about what held throughout the state, but espe- pilots, along with their major contribu- Angie Debo's neighbors remember cially in central Oklahoma, topped off tions to the aviation industry. "I found best about the state's most fimous his- with the U.S. Olympics Festival and the oral history tapes of these men just torian and their beloved friend, begin- its torch run to all 77 counties. Arts fascinating," Palmer said. The tapes, ning on page 16. Public television will festivals, a folklife festival, jazz festi- some recorded in the 1950s, are kept open its fall series on American history vals and Indian pow wows, horse rac- in the State Archives of the Oklahoma with a documentary entitled "Indians, ing, softball tournaments, rodeos, Historical Society. Outlaws and Angie Deb." Filmed by square dancing and bigger state fairs. If Wiley Post, one of the most famous Holdenville native Martha Sandlin, it's fun, it's happening in Oklahoma in of the early-day pilots, tested the pres- the Angie Debo show can be seen on 1989. surized flight suit and discovered the OETA in October. The cause for celebration, of course, jet stream. Clay Lewis tells Post's sto- *It was fun last fall to wander is the centennial anniversary of the ry. The cockpit of Post's biplane and through the booths under the large, '89er Land Run that started opening astronaut Tom Stafford's space suit can striped tents on the lawn of the Ham Oklahoma for settlement. be viewed with other aviation memora- Homestead in Oklahoma City. If you But what's a party without party- bilia at the Air Space Museum of Okla- enjoy the clever designs and the fine goers? You get to decide who you want homa City's Kirkpatrick Center. details of handmade crafts, you'll want to come. And Ok/ahoma TODAY will The State Museum, located in the to join the crowds in October at the mail official invitations next March to Wiley Post Building, displays a perma- annual First Lady's Bazaar. Ann De- all those living out-of-state who receive nent exhibit on Wiley Post's life. The Frange writes about some of the exhib- gift subscriptions, inviting them to museum also houses perhaps the most itors, beginning on page 38. come visit during 1989. Turn to page extensive collection available of Post's The Ouachita Trail, a hiking trail 37 for more information. papers and photos. dedicated by the U.S. Forest Service The series of historical articles fea- As you read about these early pilots, last year, begins in Talimena State turing the people and the activities of perhaps you can understand why so Park and winds 225 miles through the the Territorial Period begins in the many astronauts grew up in Oklahoma Ouachitas to Little Rock, Arkansas. January issue and the Special Centen- Senior citizens, young Conservation nial Souvenir Issue will be published Corps workers and forest service em- Next ISSU@:Join us for a Christmas ployees labored for more than years in March. This series should help lure celebration at Pryor's Home Rescue 10 your friends back for Oklahoma's big Mission and for a visit: with eight monks building the trail. A hiker can walk bash, ready to celebrate. What a great at the Holy Protection Monastery in along the isolated trail, surrounded by time for family and high school Forest Park. Then, for holiday revelers autumn leaves and mountain streams, reunions. who'd like to stretch their legs after a for five days and meet few others. *The 1989 ORIahoma TODAY sce- satisfying Thanksgiving or Chrismas Scott Carlberg writes about the people nic calendars are available with major meal, a couple of experts will offer tips who live along the trail on page 10. Centennial events listed on the back. for beginning birdwatchers. We'll also *Congratulations to all the OMo- Beneath each beautiful photograph is take you to southwest Oklahoma for ma TODAY Photo Contest winners. interesting information about our state David Halpern" photographic study of Some wonderful, imaginative photos the Wichica Mountains, And we're hap- that you will enjoy reading. And there were entered, and the judges had a py to announce the beginning of two is plenty of space for writing in your tough time choosing. Next year's pho- new departments-weekend trips and 1989 activities. See page 44 for the arts-that we hope will help you to contest also will focus on scenery ordering. enjoy Oklahoma even more. These sto- and activities in the state's parks. Win- Why do so many astronauts call ries and others in the November-De- ners are listed on page 36. Oklahoma home? At least eight grew cember issue of OREakom~TODAY. up as Sooners. Beginning on page 18, -Sue Carter Oklahoma TODAY but also the content exemplified a l'hank ~OLIfor bringing Oklahoma LETTERS depth of research that surely exceeds to me u-it11 your magazine. the investigations of so-called national- JJ.M. Graus ly reputed writers. Further, it is obvi- 12laastricht, Netherlands I found out about Oil .Van, the ex- ous that Ms. DeFrange did not cellent account of the life and times of antagonize her subjects, which seems I was very pleased to read hthnn Frank Phillips and Phillips Petroleum to be the regrettable style of many Jenson \Vhiteas article about Sam Company, through my subscription to reporters today. Her obvio~lsaccep- Downs ("l'ncomnion (hnin~onI-olk," Oklahoma TODAY (a portion of tlie bi- tance by this publiciy-shy group of Ilarch-.April). Sam has been an excel- ography was excerpted in the hlay- people implies a discernible honesty lent good\+-ill ambassador for Oklalio- June issue). The only thing I don't like on her part that conles through in the ma for several years. I think it is so about the book is that it's interrupting statements of her subjects and to the important for people \tho care about my studies so much that I ha~enow delight of this reader. Her work, ac- Oklahoma and its histor! to share their decided to leabe Oi/.Vrm at niy office companied by excellent photography, knomledge and enthusiasm. particular- and read it only during lunch bre:lks, is a high standard that I hope your ly ~tiththe children of the state. lest 1 flunk this semester's courses be.- publication will seek to achieve 'I'h~lnksfor pro\ iding great reading. cause I Iiaken't been paying attention regtllarly. B.G. Schumacher Dixie Relcher to schoolwork. Tulsa Writer Michael \$'allis captured the Professor Emeritus, essence and flavor of Oklahoma at its [Jniversity of Oklahoma We are native Oklahomans who best, the Oklahoma I know and miss Oklahoma TODAY is welcome in my were transplanted to 'l'exas for 23 years so much.